Gain weight??
 

My Regan is 16 months old and weighs 4.4 pounds. I would like him to gain a little weight because he is so skinny, atleast get him to 5 pounds. I did take him to my vet to make sure nothing else was wrong since he was eating like a pig but not gaining anything. The vet said he checked out ok, she said she thought he had a sensitive stomach but that was it. He eats Eukanuba puppy food twice a day. Is there any supplements or anything I can give him? Do I need to change his food?

I'd check on the food analysis chart and see how Eukanuba is rated.

Euk isn't a great food and they are a part of Iams (animal testing). I would change food. Ellie is the same way. She eats everything in sight and is skinny. I had the vet check her thyroid (for hyperthyroidism...VERY rare in dogs) just to make sure. Everything is fine there. Sometimes these dogs have really fast metabolism and all you can do is feed them when they want something. As long as your dog is healthy and not overweight, feed him.

Thanks for the great info!! I looked for that food analysis chart on here and could not find it. What would be a good food to put him on..I dont want him on anything that is not good for him.

www.dogfoodanalysis.com is an okay site.

Usually Yorkie owners stay away from the 6 star foods because they can be too rich and they are higher in protein (which some refuse to feed...). Four and five star foods are fine, some better than others.

Some popular kibbles around here are Canidae, Innova, Wellness, Natural Balance, Solid Gold and canned would be Evangers, Canidae, Merrick.

I homecook for Ellie so I can't recommend a particular food. If I had to feed dog food I would go with Evangers canned. If there was no way around feeding kibble I don't know exactly what I would use.

I would love to do the home cooking/raw food diet for him, but im not sure how to do it and what to fix him.

There are tons of recipe on YorkieTalk for homecooking (just type "recipes" inthe search box). I don't feed raw and probably never will so I can't help you there. Here is Ellie's recipe (well old recipe now:rolleyes: ). It is supposed to be 24% protein which I think is fine but some people will find it a bit low. Generally dogs needs about 40 calories per pound of body weight daily (can vary though). So you would need to mess around with the carbs to get it just right and since he is smaller than Ellie it might have to be split in half...

1 ounce white meat chicken (boiled..no fat..no skin..no seasonings)
60 grams mixed veggies
88 grams carb
1 tsp. oil
Supplements

Supplements are probably the hardest thing to get right. I use an all-in-one because it is easier for me. For oil I usually use olive or canola. For carbs I use rice or noodles or oatmeal or barley... For veggies you can steam or boil whatever you want (I usually use carrots or green beans or squash...). Then for meat you can use beef (I like lean steak boiled) or maybe turkey as long as your dog doesn't react to it...

There are lots of books on the subject or you could consult an animal nutritionist.

Thanks! Ill give that a try tomorrow.

Eukanuba is regarded as one of the best dog foods available in the uk at least. Sure it's expensive but personally i'd rather pay more for my puppy/dog.

Obviously you don't really know what goes into it, but i would think vets/breeders would cotton onto if it was actually worth it.

Gain Weight
 

I am in the same boat. Since I have adopted Alphie he was a abused yorkie he is 3-yrs old and is skinny to ME. Doctor says he is o.k. But I have tried all kinds of foods and have found "Natural Balance" and some vegtables(when he will eat them) and the "natural balance" stick seems to work He will gobble it down.

Don't know if he has really gained weight but his bones are not showing as much.


Cheryl:aimeeyork

Here is why I don't buy Iams/Eukanuba products (besides the fact that I don't feed by-product anymore).

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/sho...highlight=iams
I do not like PETA but do like some of their videos and I also can't guarantee this was taken at an Iams lab.

http://www.iamscruelty.com/videos.asp
http://www.iamscruelty.com/whatsWrong.asp
http://www.iamscruelty.com/iams-feat-dental.asp

Crystal
 

I tried Pming you but it said I couldn't.:confused:
Anyways I saw you mention adding a tsp of oil is that is a big batch,is the oil necessary?

Yes, my PM box is closed (for the most part) right now.

Ellie eats lean meat so oil is added for her fat. It is 1 tsp a day and she is 5 pounds.

thanks!

You're Welcome:)